Camross Crowned JHC C Champions 2026

Camross Crowned 2026 Laois Shopping Centre Junior C Hurling Champions After Victory Over Clough-Ballacolla

Camross Junior C Hurling Champions 2026 Photo credit: Denis Byrne

Clough Ballacolla Junior C Hurling Runners Up 2026. Photo credit: Denis Byrne

Camross 1-13
Clough-Ballacolla 1-08

Camross were crowned 2026 Laois Shopping Centre Junior C Hurling Champions after overcoming Clough-Ballacolla in a low-scoring but intensely fought contest that was far closer and more competitive than the final five-point margin might suggest.

While Camross ultimately pulled clear after half-time, the game was characterised throughout by fierce physical battles, excellent defensive work, committed tackling and some outstanding individual pieces of skill from both sides.

The sides were level at 5 points a piece at the break before Camross’ greater momentum and defensive pressure helped them establish control in the second half, eventually securing a 1-13 to 1-08 victory.

It was Clough-Ballacolla who made the early breakthrough. Clough-Ballacolla made the brighter start, opening the scoring through Damien Bergin. Camross soon responded, with Niall Holmes settling his side with his first score of the evening from a placed ball.

Camross then came close to finding the net early on but Kyle Moore saw his effort narrowly miss the target and drift wide after five minutes.

Clough-Ballacolla quickly regained the initiative, with Michael Harrison adding two points in quick succession. His first came from a free before he followed it up with a score from play, giving Clough-Ballacolla a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage after 10 minutes.

Camross responded two minutes later when Niall Holmes struck from play, reducing the deficit to 0-3 to 0-2

After 15 minutes there was still nothing to separate the sides in a tight, nip-and-tuck battle. It was low scoring, but that was largely down to the excellent work being done by both defences, who were making life extremely difficult for the opposing attacks.

Clough-Ballacolla’s Johnny Finane produced an excellent interception from a Camross attack around the 22-metre line and cleared the danger. Straight afterwards, Camross’ Fionn Dowling produced an equally impressive interception from Clough-Ballacolla’s Adam Gorman, showing the intensity and quality of the defensive exchanges.

Clough-Ballacolla extended their lead on 20 minutes when Michael Harrison converted another free from just inside the 65-metre line to make it 0-4 to 0-2 points. The free came after a superb piece of defensive work from Craig Saunders, who made a great tackle and then completed the clearance along the ground after stopping Camross’ attack.

Clough-Ballacolla were also getting excellent ball into their full-forward line through Shane Hanlon, with Ciaran Finane and others contributing to their efforts. Hanlon was winning ball in midfield and sending long, accurate deliveries into the attack, while Clough-Ballacolla continued to threaten.

Camross hit back after 23 minutes when Mark Conroy scored from play to leave just a point between them at 0-4 to 0-3.

Clough-Ballacolla restored their two-point advantage on 25 minutes following excellent work from Gearoid Boyhan. He won a turnover, made a strong run down the wing before cutting inside and handpassing to Shane Hanlon, who finished from play to make it 0-5 to 0-3.

Camross responded immediately. Mark Conroy won possession from the resulting puck-out, produced a solo run from midfield and fired over from play from around 55 metres after 26 minutes, reducing the gap to 0-5 to 0-4.

It was a low-scoring contest, but the intensity was anything but low.

One of the standout moments of the opening half came from Clough-Ballacolla’s Craig Saunders.

Earlier on it was also Saunders who made a great tackle and then completed the clearance along the ground after stopping Camross’ attack.

Saunders came to the fore and rescue to prevent another dangerous Camross attack again.

Camross keeper James Palmer pucked the ball really long deep into their attack seeking to find half forward Patrick Burke, on a puckout after a Clough Ballacolla wide.

Saunders produced the greatest piece of skill of the game.

At full stretch, he reached out over Burke in front of him, he made a superb catch to cleanly win the ball high in the sky from around his own 22-metre line. The catch was vital, as Camross’ Patrick Burke was in a position where, had he got in behind Saunders, a scoring opportunity could have developed. Instead, Saunders’ magnificent reading to leap forward and catch the ball ensured Clough-Ballacolla retained possession and cleared the danger.

Just before half-time, Niall Holmes converted a free for Camross to level the game.

Half Time

Camross 0-5,

Clough-Ballacolla 0-5.

Camross started the second half at a much quicker pace and went 0-6 to 0-5 ahead immediately from the first play after the throw-in.

After 33 minutes, Camross’ Mark Conroy was involved at a crucial moment. He scooped up a loose ball in a dangerous attacking area for Clough-Ballacolla and cleared it, all in the same phase of play when a free was won in midfield. Niall Holmes then converted to put Camross 0-7 to 0-5 ahead.

Clough-Ballacolla responded on thirty five minutes when Shane Hanlon struck from play, bringing his side back to within a point at 0-7 to 0.6.

Still nothing between the sides in an intense battle.

Camross then survived a huge moment of danger. Martin Moore produced a great block on a shot that looked destined for the net. The intervention proved absolutely vital because, moments later, Camross went up the field and Kyle Moore found the net to put Camross 1-7 to 0-6 ahead after 36 minutes.

That goal changed the momentum of the contest.

Camross began to pull away, with their confidence growing and their defensive pressure cutting out Clough-Ballacolla attacks. They blocked shots, forced wides through relentless pressure, won frees and repeatedly came out on top in physical battles.

On 40 minutes, Niall Holmes added another free to make it 1-8 to 0-6.

A minute later, Fionn Dowling won possession from the Clough-Ballacolla puck-out and made a lovely run before sending a long ball forward. That move ultimately resulted in another free for Holmes, who converted again to make it 1-9 to 0-6.

Despite Camross beginning to take control, Shane Hanlon continued to have an excellent second half for Clough-Ballacolla like he did in the 1st. He was winning possession in midfield and repeatedly sending pinpoint, accurate long balls into the full-forward line. His work helped create another opportunity on 45 minutes, with Damien Bergin winning a free and reducing the deficit to 1-9 to 0-7.

Camross, however, were now firmly in control of the momentum.

On 47 minutes, Niall Holmes struck another free from approximately 50 metres out to put Camross 1-10 to 0-7 ahead.

Two minutes later Holmes was on target again from a free, moving Camross to 1-11 to 0-7.

Holmes completed another free on 50 minutes to make it 1-12 to 0-7. His performance from placed balls was outstanding throughout the afternoon, with the Camross forward showing deadly accuracy from frees and ultimately contributing eight points, seven of them from placed balls.

Clough-Ballacolla goalkeeper Danny Hanlon then converted a free on 52 minutes to bring the score to 1-12 to 0-8.

Camross added their final score on 53 minutes when Trevor Abbott pointed from play, putting his side 1-13 to 0-8 ahead.

Clough-Ballacolla refused to give up, however, and in the dying seconds Cian Coffey found the net with a late goal. But there was no time for a comeback as the final whistle was blown.

Full-time:

Camross 1-13,

Clough-Ballacolla 1-08.

Camross had done enough to secure the title and were deservedly crowned 2026 Laois Shopping Centre Junior C Hurling Champions.

Man of the Match – Patrick Burke (Camross)

There were several strong contenders for the individual award, with Niall Holmes (0-8, seven frees) producing an excellent scoring display. Holmes was particularly impressive from placed balls, displaying deadly accuracy throughout and contributing the majority of Camross’ scores.

However, my Man of the Match is Camross’ number 12, Patrick Burke.

Burke’s contribution went beyond the scoresheet. His hard work rate was exceptional throughout the game, and he was repeatedly involved in the build-up to Camross’ scores. Through clever handpasses, intelligent runs, battling to win possession, competing for long balls, fighting through contact, holding off challenges and getting out in front of his marker, Burke continually created opportunities for those around him.

Most notably, Burke played a major role in setting up the last three Camross scores. While Holmes deserved enormous credit for converting the frees with such accuracy, Burke was the creator whose work helped put Camross into those scoring positions.

That is what ultimately separated Burke for me in the Man of the Match decision. Holmes may have been the outstanding scorer and was deadly from frees, but Burke’s relentless work rate and ability to create and initiate attacks were just as vital to Camross’ victory.

His contribution demonstrated that there is far more to a match-winning performance than simply getting your name on the scoreboard as he had to make Clough Ballacolla defender Craig Saunders produce stunning skill to stop him and be at his best to stop him.

Camross’ 1-13 to 1-08 victory means they are the 2026 Laois Shopping Centre Junior C Hurling Champions.

SCORERS- Camross: Niall Holmes 0-8 (seven frees), Mark Conroy 0-3 (two frees), Kyle Moore 1-0, Michael Buckley and Trevor Abbott 0-1 each. Clough-Ballacolla: Cian Coffey 1-0, Michael Harrison 0-3 (two frees), Shane Hanlon and Damien Bergin (one free) 0-2 each, Danny Hanlon 0-1

CAMROSS: James Palmer; Patrick Ryan, Martin Moore, Jack Moore; Ben Cordial Lambe, Mark Conroy, Fionn Dowling; Colin Palmer, Kevin Lalor; Conor Deegan, Niall Holmes, Patrick Burke; Kyle Moore, Patrick Ryan, Trevor Abbott. Subs Used: Michael Buckley, James O’Keefe, David Hynes, Kevin Lalor, Tomas Burke, Kevin O’Leary, Shane Dowling, Dean Dowling.

CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA: Danny Hanlon; Aidan Bergin, Johnny Finane, Pat McEvoy; Matthew Bergin, Brendan McEvoy, Craig Saunders; Eoin Meade, Kevin Meade; Adam Gorman, Shane Hanlon, Ciaran Finane; Michael Harrison, Damien Bergin, Gearoid Boyhan Subs Used: Cian Coffey, Evan Hawkes, Tommy Nolan, Aidan McCartney, Bryan Corrigan, Darragh McEvoy

REFEREE: Craig Haslam